Daine Meets Serena:part III of...serena; mad woman
by Giovanna
Summary: Lak the title says; i finally got the next part. interesting...a conflict between Serena and.... r/r *hint hint* a bit of swearing...


HELLO

HELLO!!!! Sorry, kinda hyper right now…so…I spent hours thinking 'bout the next part…I wanted to thank 'Lanti for all the reviews and praise that was sent to me…I COULDNA' DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!! *smile* sorry…I'm really acting weird today.

**Where were we last time?:** _"I am King Jonathan, and you, madam, are creating a stir."_

_Serena blanched, but managed to fire, "Then Arram and I leave!" She grabbed Arram and dragged him out of the room._

_There was a silence. Then Jonathan threw up his hands and called in a falsely cheerful voice, "Let's party!"_

_Nobody noticed a slim figure leave – except Alanna._

Okay, so here goes:

Daine hitched up her skirts and started to run silently after the arguing couple. Her ears had shifted into a cat's, so she could hear every detail of the conversation perfectly – from the low, angry tones of Numair and the heavy breathing of the woman.

_Who is she? And why'd she call Jonathan…_ Unable to help herself, Daine giggled. She'd remember that look on Jonathan's face forever! Daine turned her thoughts to that strange woman – who was she and what did she want with Numair?

Daine stopped running when she saw that Numair and the woman had stopped in the library. Daine entered it silently, ears perked. She hid behind a shelf of books and listened.

J

Arram faced Serena, trying to calm his frayed nerves. "Let's start from the beginning, shall we?" he said in a clipped, strained voice. "What are you doing here?"

Serena raised an eyebrow. "From the beginning, eh? Very well…when you left Carthak after the Emperor pressed charges, I returned to the Copper Isles. I finished my education in a College of Sorcery, and then I went to freshen up my skills as a princess of the crown. Then my parents arranged for me to be betrothed – I married a Prince of the Copper Isles. He was my cousin twice removed. Then he _died of some mysterious ailment_ and I came here, looking for you."

"Why?" Arram hissed. "Why did you have to look for me?"

"Arram, my sweet," Serena purred, running her hand across Arram's face affectionately. "Have you forgotten what we had in Carthak? Both of us – innocent youngsters – lonely in the university. We met during a festival and shared one night of hot, undenied sexual pleasure. One night turned into two, three, four…we lost count after all those years."

Arram gulped. His eyes kept on flicking around the dark room, as if he was afraid of someone overhearing them. Serena ignored his antics, her eyes glued on his face.

"Before you left…remember that night? You said: _don't worry, I'll be back when this blows over._ You never did return…and I got worried. You said that you wanted this relationship to continue – I assumed that you meant getting engaged, then married, and raising a family of our own –"

"You assumed wrongly," Arram yelped. "I'm very sorry, Serena, but what we had is over. It's been over for ten years. _Ten years_! Don't tell me you have not found someone else to pour your affections on!"

"No, I haven't." Serena paused, then snarled, "Why, have you?"

Arram took a step back. He was so nervous and guilty that his mind couldn't grasp any thing. He didn't even remember that Serena was a powerful mage. He couldn't recall any spells that would aid him. The only thing that reached his frightened conscious was that he was engaged to another woman.

"Have you?" Serena pressed, pressing Arram towards a wall.

Arram didn't reply.

_"ANSWER ME, DAMN YOU!"_

"Maybe he doesn't want to," said a new voice, cool and collected. Serena whirled around to face a young, slim woman. Her tan skin was pale with a hot emotion – anger.

"Who are you?" Serena asked quietly. The woman ducked her head.

"Daine Sarrasri, the Wildmage and betrothed to Numair Salmalin."

"Ah…the bastard who shares her bed with animals," Serena said sharply. Daine frowned, her eyes glinting.

"Since you know me so well, may I have the…_pleasure_…of knowing who you are?" Daine asked.

"I am Her Royal Highness, Princess Serena of the Copper Isles." 

Daine didn't acknowledge the royalty. Instead, she walked past Serena and took Arram's hand. "Come with me."

They started to walk towards the exit but Serena barred their way. She grabbed onto Daine and shoved her aside.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Serena spat.

"I'm taking my fiancé back where he belongs!" Daine snarled. It took a moment for this to sink in.

"Your…fiancé? Arram is _your_ fiancé?" Serena gasped. "That's the _stupidest_ thing I've ever heard!" She collapsed into a burst of wild laughter. Daine narrowed her eyes.

"_Numair_ is my fiancé. I don't know about _Arram_…I think that person is in the dustbin in Carthak. You might want to check there."

That did it. Serena paled and clenched her fists in anger. "How dare you! Arram – or Numair – is mine! He always was and always will be mine!"

Daine snorted. "Oh yes. Varice Kingsford, Milaina of Coldhill. Natasha of Four Roads. Myrtle, Melanie, Melody, and Menna – the four daughters of Lord Davide. Yenna, the Prostitute of Corus – yes, I'm _sure_ Numair belongs to you and _only_ you." She shook her head. "Times have changed, _your highness_."

By this time Numair was a bright pink color, but when the two women began shouting he turned a strange purple.

"He's mine!" Serena shouted.

"NO, he isn't!"

"YES, he is!"

"He is MINE!" Daine yelled.

"Ladies, I'm not a toy," Numair cut in mildly. Serena and Daine glared at him and said in a single voice,

"_SHUT__UP_!"

Numair gulped and obeyed, looking like a chagrined little boy.

"Now, _your ladyship_, you are to march that little butt of yours out of this room and you'll never approach _my_ fiancé again!" Daine snapped.

"Never!" shrieked Serena like a cat. 

Daine's eyes flared with uncontained rage. With a snarl of pure animal, she jumped on top of Serena. Serena stepped back just in time to gesture and with the light of a pink Gift, Daine was sent flying to a wall, where she collided with a sickening _thud_.

That was enough to unfreeze Numair from his shocked position. He ran to the limp figure on the floor and gathered her in his arms. 

"Daine. Daine, wake up," he said harshly, rocking her slightly. "_Wake up_!"

"She's not going to," Serena snickered; Numair turned and saw the woman smiling insanely. 

"What do you mean?" Numair whispered.

"I added enough Gift to stun her into a deep, deep sleep. Coma is more like it."

Numair's temper rose and he jumped up (A/N and, I might add mildly, dropping Daine heavily on the floor in the process!) and approached Serena, his outstretched hand glowing with his Gift. 

He made the throwing motion; the black Gift sped towards Serena, but was intervened by a violet flame. Numair growled with wrath when Alanna stood in front of Serena, a wall of protection between them.

"Alanna, if you want to keep your health, move out of the way," Numair said in a dangerously soft voice.

"Numair, think!" Alanna snapped. "Are you trying to create a war? 'Cause that's what's gonna happen if you kill this little wench!"

Serena glared and pointed a finger enveloped in pink flames at Alanna, who gestured. The flame disappeared and Alanna turned to Serena.

"You, madam, are to return to whatever godforsaken place whence you came."

"But – no – Alanna – Daine," Numair stuttered, looking like a lost little…_kitten_. Alanna sighed and added in a silky voice to Serena,

"If she dies, you die too. Got it? Now scat!"

With a sniff and her chin high in the air, Serena swept out of the library. Alanna muttered something under her breath then walked placidly to the figure that was Daine.

Quickly, the Lioness checked the Wildmage's breathing and pulse and swore softly. Numair, like a frantic mother hen dotting over her chicks, hovered over her.

"What's wrong? She's not going to die? She's not going to lose a limb, is she? 'Cause if she is, if she dies-"

"Hush, Numair. Daine's not going to die…she just has a…" the rest was lost under Alanna's breath. Numair had to lean in to hear her finish: "…very bad concussion."

With a grunt, Alanna lifted Daine and slung her over her shoulder, ignoring the muttering mage. She took the woman to the healers, where Duke Baird proceeded to clear away the line of blood that had trickled down from Daine's head. 

Alanna had to hold Numair with her magic to prevent him from breaking down the door that separated him from his fiancé…

J

Everything was fuzzy…Daine moaned softly as she opened her eyes.

_Since when have I been on a ship?_, she thought distractedly. _Only ships make your vision sway like this…_

"Ah, you're up!" a gruff voice cut through the air. Daine smiled weakly at Alanna.

"It appears so," she replied softly. When she tried to sit up, a jolt of pain ran down her neck until it reached her backbone and she stifled a yelp of pain. But Daine's face obviously didn't fool Alanna, because the knight pushed her down gently.

"I guess I'd better not move, eh?" Daine asked quietly.

Alanna nodded grimly. "You shouldn't even be talking, youngling. That blow's given you a bad concussion – don't be surprised if the room starts to sway when I let you walk."

Daine nodded. Suddenly, everything came back to her. "Serena – engaged – where's Numair?" Daine asked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I have a few words to say to him…and none of them are 'Goddess bless'."

Alanna, after giving her a strange look, went to the door and said, "You can release him." To answer Daine's inquiring glance, she said, "The man was so worried that we had to restrain him."

Daine chuckled, but silenced herself when Numair entered the room, looking drawn and worried. She avoided his eyes when he bent down and hugged her tightly…but bit her lip hard when the movement jolted her sore bones.

Luckily, Alanna saw everything. She roughly pushed the mage away, with a hiss. 

"She's hurting, can't you see?"

Numair looked down, for all the world a lost puppy. (A/N I seem to like comparing him with cute, pathetic things: a kitten, a little boy, and a puppy!)

Alanna left the room and Numair started his flow of talk. 

"Magelet, how're you feeling? I was afraid you weren't going to wake up, as you were sleeping for five days straight! I'm so angry…I could strangle Serena but I don't know where she is! For that matter, I don't know why she came! She was my girlfriend a _decade_ ago…I don't know _where_ she got the idea that we were still a couple! Magelet, how're you feeling? I was afraid you weren't going to wake up, as you were sleeping for five days –"

"Numair, enough! You're repeating yourself! And I'm getting a migraine," Daine exclaimed, pressing a hand over Numair's mouth. The man silenced with an embarrassed look and gave her a kiss. Daine almost melted but stopped herself before turning into a pool of honey. She shoved him away.

"When were you going to tell me about _that_ one, Numair?" she demanded harshly. Numair blushed and stayed quiet. "Were you never going to tell me? Or were you just waiting until our wedding to tell me?"

"Daine…it was over with her _way_ before I met you! How was I supposed to know she was coming for me! I thought she was married – and she was – but her husband's dead."

"Yes, I'm sure she killed him," Daine muttered dryly. "The way she struck me, I'm surprised I'm not in the Black God's realm."

"She wouldn't _dare_ kill you," Numair said softly. "She knows how over protective I get over my…girlfriends –"

"Is _that_ what I am to you? A simple girlfriend?" Daine cried in anger. "No longer your student, love, and _fiancé_? But _your girlfriend_?"

Numair pleaded, "No, I didn't mean it like that! It's just a broad enough word! Would you like it if I said ' my women'?"

"No," Daine replied. "I'm sorry."

"Humph…I hope you are," Numair said. Daine frowned.

"What more do you want! I'm sorry, Master Salmalin, that I insulted you with my petty apologies! I – wait, why the _hell_ am I apologizing to you? _You_ should be apologizing to _me_!" Daine sat back on her pillows, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyebrows raised.

Numair sighed. "Daine, I'm very sorry that I hurt you. I promise that I'll never keep such a thing from you again." He leaned forward and gave her a deep kiss. When Daine had her arms wrapped around him, he lifted her off the bed and walked out of the room.

"Is that good enough for you?" he murmured. "Or do I need to go further?"

"No," Daine whispered. "It's just fine." Daine pressed her lips back to her fiancé's and kept them there as he took her back to her room.

J

NO, DON'T GO AWAY!!!!!! IT'S NOT FINISHED!!!!!! Yes, now that I've got your attention: the story's only halfway done! Serena's still out there, planning her revenge. Now, just for curiosity's sake, have any of ya'll noticed the resemblance between Daine and Serena? Brown hair (I never said Serena's wasn't wavy) and blue eyes (okay, fine. Daine's are a light blue-gray color and Serena's are a vivid blue – almost purple.) *HINT* *HINT* Not saying nothin'… 

See the box below? Yes, the B*L*U*EB*O*X…. review, please please _please_!!! 

Until next time!

~ _Giovanna_

ps: was this a cliffhanger? I dunno… 


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